The invention relates to a supporting device or landing gear for a semi-trailer or the like, a semi-trailer having at least one such supporting device as well as an actuating device and a transmission device for use in such a supporting device.
A supporting device of the type in question serves for supporting a semi-trailer when said semi-trailer is decoupled from the road tractor, wherein in most cases two supporting devices (pair of supports) are used per semi-trailer. Such a supporting device is known from DE 20 2006 012 472 U1, for example. The supporting device known from this document comprises an outer supporting tube and an inner supporting tube, wherein the inner supporting tube is telescopically arranged within the outer supporting tube and may be moved in the axial direction relative to the outer supporting tube by means of a spindle mechanism mounted inside (i.e. within the tube). The spindle mechanism is actuated by means of an actuating device arranged within the outer supporting tube, which makes it possible to convert a rotational movement generated by a hand crank or the like into a rotational movement of the spindle.
A disadvantage of the known supporting device is that the constructional outlay is substantial, in particular since it is often necessary to individually adapt the supporting device to the respective semi-trailer.
Therefore, an object underlying the present invention is to provide a supporting device or landing gear of the type mentioned in the introductory portion, which may be manufactured with small constructional outlay.